Knitted fabric and method of making same



NOV. 26, GERSON KNITTED FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed June '7, 1940 .wd M I Patented Nov. 26, 19

UNi'ia- STATES KNITTED FABRIC Agli) METHOD OF MAKING Joseph Gerson, Newark, N. J., assignor lto Harry Rubin, New York, N. Y.

Appueetien June 1, icio,A serial No. 339,262

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the knitting art and has particular reference to a trimming in the nature of a fringe for use or. drapes, bedspreads and the like, and the of making the same.

Trimmings of the general character of the present invention have been made heretofore wherein the strands comprising the 'tassels are grouped or bunched by an` operator, after the machine knitting has been completed, and portions of adjacent groups are then either tied in a knot or are bound together by tying a thread thereabout to form the tassels. This manual operation consumes considerable time and therefore materially increases the cost of production.

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to eliminate much of the manual labor in the production of a trimming by knitting an elastic thread or threads under tension in such manner that a loop of said thread will encircle each group of strands or yarns vthat comprises a tassel of thetrimming, and then, after the knitting operation is completed, severing said thread on opposite sides of the groups of strands constituting a tassel, so that loops vembracing the encircled strands will contract about the latter and thus tie them together to complete a tassel.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of expressions one of which, for

purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a knitted fabric, such as a, trimming or fringe, showing the position thereof while it is being fabricated on a knitting machine.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the trimming after being removed from the machine and preparatory to iinal operations of severing the elastic threads and the lower ends of the tassels.

Figure 3 is a similar view of the completed fabric.

Figure ure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig- 45 ure 3, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, showing an elastic .thread looped about the groups of strands which comprise a tassel.

The trimming of the present invention may 50 be made on a standard type of knitting machine and, in accordance with the usual procedure, a plurality of closely adjacent wales and filler threads 'I and 8, respectively, are knitted to form the edging 9. At the same time, other elongated 55 strands or ller threads I0 are looped into the method 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figedging 9 at spaced intervals, as indicated at II, and at their opposite ends are caught by one or more wales I2.

At a point near the edging 9, and paralleling the same, strands III of adjacent groups of flller 5 threads are stitched together or gathered by one or more wales I3 so that strandsv of said groups will converge downwardly from the edgingr 9, as shown at I4, to form the upper end of a tassel. Loops I5 of each thread or wale I3 encircle the gathered portions of said groups of strands, as best illustrated in Figures 4 and 6.

Thethreads I3 are, according to the invention herein disclosed, made of any suitable elastic material and, during the knitting operation, threads are kept under tension or stretched s o that the loops I 5 will be expanded. Upon completion of the'knitting operation, the thread or threads I3 are severed, as indicated at I6, in Figure 2, adjacent to and on opposite sides of the 20 two groups of strands I0 which comprise a tassel -and when so severed, the loops I5 will contract about said groups to bind together and bunch the strands thereof, as illustrated in Figure 5.

As will be seen from Figure 6, the loops of the 25 stitches extend to the rear of the groups of strands I0 and, due to this, the tendency is for the extremities of the severed ends to be drawn to the rear of the tassel (see Figure 5) by said loops and thus be invisible when the trimming is in 3 use. The elasticity of the threads I3 is such that the severed ends will be secure1y bound by the contraction of the loops I Sand, therefore, will not become loosened. As a, nal step in the 35 completion of the trimming, the ends of the groups oi strands I9 forming'the tassels are severed along the line indicated at I1 (Figure 2) adjacent the wales I2 so that the lower extremities of the strands constituting said tassels will be unattached to each other. 4

What is claimed is:

1. A trimming for drapes and the like comprising a plurality of loose strands arranged in groups. and an elastic binding element embracing each group of strands between the ends thereof to form a tassel.

2. A knitted trimming. for drapes and the like comprising an edging, a plurality of groups of strands extending from said edging. and elastic binding elements embracing portions of adjacent groups to form tassels.

3. A knitted trimming for drapes and the like comprising an edging, a'plurality of groups of strands extending from said edging, and knitted these '15Y elastic stitches embracing portions of adjacent groups to form tassels.

4. 'I'he method "of knitting a trimming i'or 1 drapes and the like which comprises forming into groups a plurality of loose yarns extending from an edging by looping a continuous elastic thread under tension about said groups, and thereafter severing said elastic thread on opposite sides of each loop thereof which embraces a formed group so .that said loop will contract and bind the yarns of its group.

5. The method of making a trimming foi-l drapes and the like which comprises knitting an edging, securing a plurality of groups of loose yarns to said edging at spaced intervals, utilizing an elastic thread under tension to connect adjacent'groups of said yarns at points spaced from said edging by looping said. thread about said groups, and thereafter severing said thread on 

